When the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Canada's national public broadcaster, rebranded “CBC Newsworld” and relaunched its primetime show, “The National,” the network turned to Applied Electronics Limited (AEL www.appliedelectronics.com) to design, engineer and integrate the display technology for two new sets and studio configurations. AEL selected two award-winning Christie HD10K-M 3-chip DLP® projectors and two Christie Spyder X20-1608 video/widescreen display processors to help deliver the new on-air look that debuted Oct. 26, 2009.

AEL has enjoyed a nearly 30-year business relationship with Christie® based on trust and a proven track record of product performance and reliability, qualities that were in demand for what has been called “the most sweeping re-organization in CBC history”.

“The CBC approached us looking for a solution for on-air, large-screen applications,” says AEL account manager, Chris Randles. “The timeline for the project was extremely compressed – just 60 days. But thanks to the efforts of the manufacturers, we were able to meet this critical deadline.”

The CBC has rebranded “CBC Newsworld” as “CBC News Network” and focuses the program block on breaking news. The new set offers viewers a fresh graphical look. “The National,” with anchor Peter Mansbridge, has been relaunched in a new studio and introduces a faster paced program for a more dynamic TV experience.

The new set for CBC News Network features two large DNP rear-projection screens, a 16x9-foot screen and a curved 12x7-foot screen, fed by a pair of 10,000-ANSI lumens, Christie HD10K-M projectors. “They are true HD (1920 x 1080), 3-chip DLP projectors built for demanding conditions such as those you'll find in broadcast studios,” Randles notes. The Christie HD10K-M has embedded edge-blending and color-matching capabilities that make it ideal for large and curved-screen displays.

Adjacent to the rear projection screens are a 103-inch plasma screen and an array of 46-inch LCD screens fed by a Spyder X20-1608. “This 16-input, 8-output Spyder X20 model gave us the flexibility we needed. It can be used in many different environments with any display device (projectors, plasma screens, LED walls, rear projection cubes, etc.) or any combination of display devices, making the display easier to design and implement,” says Randles.

“Since the Christie HD10K-M projectors also have internal processing, we were able to minimize the number of outputs needed on the Spyder X20-1608 which was a cost savings for the CBC.” All of the screens on-set display a variety of graphics and backgrounds, as well as story and correspondent clips.

The new studio for “The National” now boasts a curved 12x7-foot DNP rear-projection screen featuring another Christie HD10K-M plus a 103-inch plasma screen and an array of 46-inch LCD screens fed by an additional Spyder X20-1608. The displays for “The National” showcase graphics and in-depth news stories, interviews and discussions with correspondents nationwide in a more transparent and immediate way. A backup Spyder X20-1608 is shared between the two studios to assure redundancy for the 24/7 news operation.

The Spyder X20-1608 is a versatile hardware-based video processor combined with the flexibility of a universal routing switcher. Its integrated source monitoring enables simultaneous, real-time, full frame rate monitoring of all inputs – ideal for the broadcast environment. The Spyder X20-1608 provides users with a 20 megapixel bandwidth to blend, window, mix and scale any source format and then routes the signal to any destination device or combination of display devices – quickly and easily.

The Christie HD10K-M, just one of eleven M Series projectors, is built on a flexible and efficient dual-lamp, mercury platform with extreme feature-rich functionality. Some of this functionality includes embedded Christie Twistâ„¢ and multi-window processing, as well as a dust sealed engine and filter-free design, which ensures that noise levels and maintenance costs are reduced.

“Every project I've done with Christie has been very easy,” reports Randles. “The interaction between our engineering teams is seamless and they are very responsive to our calls. We have an excellent working relationship.”

About Applied Electronics Limited

Applied Electronics is Canada's leading designer, supplier and integrator of professional Audio Visual, Broadcast and Post-Production systems and technology. With a dedicated team of in-house professionals and technical experts, Applied Electronics provides consultation, systems design, equipment supply, installation, operator training, after-sale service, and warranty support. In addition to representing over 100 major technology partners, Applied Electronics can also fabricate custom components and other finishes in-house to meet system requirements.

Applied Electronics is headquartered in Mississauga (Toronto), Ontario and operates offices in Montreal, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver. The company was founded in 1958 and today, it is Canada's largest A/V and broadcast equipment and solutions supplier and integrator in terms of sales, systems design, integration, after-sale service, and technical support. For more information, visit: www.appliedappliedelectronics.com.

About Christie®

Christie Digital Systems Canada, Inc. is a global visual technologies company and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ushio, Inc., Japan, (JP:6925). Consistently setting the standards by being the first to market some of the world's most advanced projectors and complete system displays, Christie is recognized as one of the most innovative visual technology companies in the world. From retail displays to Hollywood, mission critical command centers to classrooms and training simulators, Christie display solutions and projectors capture the attention of audiences around the world with dynamic and stunning images. Visit www.christiedigital.com.